Device for teaching time in music



(No Model.)

0. LATTA.

I DEVICE FOR TEACHING .TIME IN MUSIC. No. 585,681. Patented July 6, 1897.

H/JXFTTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LATTA, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

DEVICE FOR TEACHING TIME IN MUSI C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,681, dated July 6, 1897.

I Application filed September 17,1896. Serial No. 606,070. (No model.)

To all who/1t it 'IIZ/(I/J/ con/067%:

Be it known that I, CHARLES LATTA, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Teaching Time in Music, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices for teaching time in music, the peculiarities of which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

The object of my invention is to mark the proper time of the musical piece and designate the period of time each note or other character of music should be played, so that the pupil will perceive the instant to begin playing each note and the instant to leave off and begin the next note.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, on which like reference letters and figures indicate corresponding parts, Figure l represents a perspective view of my device; Fig. 2, a front View with the lid thrown up to show the mechanism partly in sect-ion, and Fig. 3 a plan view of the mechanism.

The letter A indicates the inclosing case, preferably hinged, so as to throw open the front and top. A sight-opening B in front exposes a strip of paper O, bearin g the musiccharacters on properly-ruled lines and spaces composing the staff. This strip is wound on a spool D, removably mounted on a pin E, passing through a frame F, and from thence the strip passes over guide-rollers G and H at each end of the sight-opening. A pressure-spring I bears on the spool to keep the strip taut.

The roller H is mounted in a pivoted or otherwise movable frame J, acted on by a spring K to press the roller H against a friction-roller L, which is so actuated as to rotate at the desired speed and thus draw the strip with the notes thereon from the spool D past the sight-opening and wind it on the springroller H. The pivot-pin is stationary and holds one end of the coil-spring K, the other end being connected to the swing-frame carrying the roller H. The increase of the size of the roller Has the strip is being wound thereon will not affect the uniform rate of travel of the strip, since the rate is governed by the speed of the friction-roller L. The means for actuating said roller L will be presently described.

The music-characters are placed in their proper vertical position on the staff, but are spread out as to their horizontal position, corresponding to their value in time. Thus a whole note will have allotted to it a horizontal distance equal to, say, the length of the sight-slot. Vertical lines or bars may con veniently indicate such space. A half-note, a quarter, an eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second, are allotted corresponding distances,as shown in the drawings. WVhen the left-hand side of the space allotted a note arrives at the left side of the sight-slot, (or other predetermined indeX-point,) the pupil will begin to play such note and continue till the right hand or end of the space reaches the same point as the strip travels onward. The next note is then begun, is played its appropriate time, (while its space passes out of the sight-opening in this instance,) and so on successively. The pupil cannot fail to give the proper duration to each and every note thus clearly marked off mechanically for him.

The preferred mechanism for actuating the friction-roller L is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A train of wheelwork runs from the pinion m on the friction-roller back to the masterwheel P, driven by the spiral spring Q, held in check by the ratchet and pawl R. The friction-roller is rubber-faced or otherwise adapted to secure frictional contact with the strip.

In teaching time it is desirable to cause the pupil to play slowly at first and then to increase the rate; also, some pieces require quicker time than others. To provide for this variation, I effect a corresponding change of speed in the actuatingwoller through a regulating mechanism preferably consisting of a spindle S, having a pinion T, intergeared by wheel and pinion U u to a wheel M on the shaft of the friction-roller. On the spindle is slidingly mounted a cone V, that is moved up and down by fiy-weights 2, carried on angle-levers pivoted to the spindle and connected to said cone by links Above or opposite the face of the cone is an adjustable cap 4: preferably screw-threaded into a support 5 and having a lever-arm 6, that serves as a pointer for a scale 7, Fig. 3. The centrifugal force of the fly-weights as the spindle revolves will slide the cone V into contact with the cap and prevent the speed of the spindle and friction-roller geared thereto from going any higher. An adjustment of the cap afarther distance away, however, will allow the spindle and weights to attain a higher speed and the strip 0 to travel correspondingly faster. Adj ustin g the cap nearer will cause a slower travel of the strip and increase the length of each note correspondingly.

Other forms of regulating mechanism may be used and, if desired, it may be dispensed with altogether and the music-strip be run at a predetermined rate.

I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown, as this is an exemplification of the preferred construction of my device.

Referring to the drawings again, the halfnote E is being played as the strip travels in the direction of the arrow. \Vhen the next note F arrives at the index-point, the pupil, who has been playing the half-note during the travel of its space past the indexpoint, will now begin on the note F and continue till the next note, G, arrives at the index, and so on. The notes make their ap pearance successively before they are to be played, so the pupil has time to glance at the following note while playing the preceding one and prepare for it.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a strip of flexible material bearinga continuous music-staff and notes as described, winding-spools therefor, an operative motor-gearing for said strip, of a speed-regulator connected with said gearing, consisting of a pinion and its shaft, a pair of weighted levers carried by the shaft, a cone slidingly mounted 011 the shaft, and operatively connected to said levers, an adjustable cap for said cone having a matching in nersurface and a screw-threaded outer rim,

and a threaded support for said cap in which itcan be axiallyadjusted, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a spring-motor gearing and ad junctive devices driven thereby, of a speed-regulator consisting of a pinion and its shaft meshed with said gearing, angle-levers pivoted to said shaft having fly weights on the lower ends, a slidable cone on the shaft, links connecting said cone with the lower ends of said angle-levers, a conical cap mounted above said cone and adjustable axially, a support for said cap, an indicator attached to said cap, and a scale for said indicator, substantially as described.

3. The combination witha closed box having a sight-slot in front, and a strip of flexible material bearing a set of five continuous horizontal lines and notes spaced as described, a wind-off spool for said strip, a tensionroller to receive said strip, a swing-frame carrying said roller, a pivot-pin supporting said frame, a coil-springhavin g one end connected to the frame, and the other to said pin, a friction-roller L, bearing on said tensionroller and interposed strip, a wheel and pinion axially mounted with said roller L, a spring-motor, and interconnecting gearing between said motor and said pinion,and a retarding device consisting of a pinion u, meshing with the wheel of said roller L, a wheel U concentric with the pinion u, a pinion and its shaft meshing with said wheel U, a pendulum-governor carried by said shaft, a slidable friction-cone on said shaft and operated by said govern or, an adjustable cap for said cone, and a bracket-snpport for said cap having a screw-threaded engagement with the rim of the cap for axial adjustment, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES LATTA.

Witnesses:

II. M. PLAISTED, ALFRED A. hlATHEY. 

